Supreme Sword Exalt

“You want medicine?”

Inside a medicine shop, the plump shopkeeper glanced at Ah Sha’s eager expression and sneered mockingly.

“Sure, give me essence crystals. However many pills you want, I have them!”

Essence crystals were formed from concentrated spirit qi of heaven and earth. They served not only as cultivation resources but also as the most basic currency in the cultivation world.

“I...” Ah Sha shook her head sadly. “I don’t have any crystals...”

“Then get lost and don’t disrupt my business!”

“But I have these!”

Ah Sha seemed to remember something. As she stretched out her small hand, she revealed three or four thumb-sized, irregularly shaped transparent crystals.

“My young master said these can be exchanged for essence crystals.”

“Beast cores?” The plump shopkeeper’s eyes lit up with greed, though he kept his face calm and composed. “But these are just Tier 1 beast cores, they’re not worth much!”

Beast cores were the condensed essence within a beast’s body, making them an essential and valuable material for both alchemy and crafting.

Even though Tier 1 beast cores were the lowest grade, they still fetched a considerable price due to the beasts being very dangerous. In fact, Gu Han’s severe injuries had worsened due to an encounter with several Tier 1 beasts outside the city.

“Then what should I do...” Ah Sha was at a loss, looking around helplessly. “This is all I have...”

“Fine, fine!”

The plump shopkeeper snatched the beast cores from Ah Sha’s hands and casually threw her a pill bottle.

“I’m a kind man. I’ll take the loss out of pity for you. Here, take it!”

“Thank you! Thank you!”

Ah Sha was overjoyed. She carefully clutched the pills as if they were treasure. Then, she rushed out of the shop, ignoring her injuries.

Ptoo!

A crowd of onlookers saw the shopkeeper’s smug, triumphant expression and couldn’t help but curse him.

What a scoundrel! Cheating even a fool!

Those beast cores were worth at least ten bottles of high-grade healing pills, yet he had given her only one bottle of the lowest grade. He was truly heartless!

The shopkeeper ignored them. He glanced at the beast cores in his hand and then in the direction Ah Sha had run off. Greed gleamed in his eyes.

***

After Ah Sha ran a short distance while panting, she finally saw Gu Han’s figure.

“Young Master!” She raised her small hand, shouting repeatedly. “I found some medicine...”

At that moment, a foot stretched out from the side.

“Ah!”

Ah Sha lost her balance and stumbled. She fell heavily to the ground, which caused the bottle in her hand to shatter on impact, spilling its contents. A single black pill rolled onto the ground, covered in dirt.

“Huh?” A mocking and sinister voice called out. “Isn’t this Ah Sha? Tsk, tsk, tsk!”

Another voice chimed in. “Stupid girl, can’t you watch where you’re going? What, do you pity that useless cripple so much?”

The voices belonged to two men. One of them was tall and the other short, both dressed as servants.

“The medicine!”

Ah Sha seemed oblivious to their taunts. As she ignored her pain and injuries, she stretched out her small hand and clutched the pill tightly, fragments of the jade bottle digging into her palm.

“We’re talking to you!” The tall man’s expression was cold. “Are you deaf!”

Then, he stepped forward and stomped on her hand. In an instant, the sharp shards pierced her palm, and blood flowed continuously from the wound.

“The medicine...” Tears streamed down Ah Sha’s face from the pain, but she stubbornly held onto the pill. “The young master’s medicine...”

“Ptoo!” The tall man sneered with disdain. “What a dumb bitch!”

“Well, she might be dumb, but I gotta say, she’s pretty. Let’s deal with that cripple first, and then...”

“Hahaha! Great idea. The young lord gave us an excellent job!”

They exchanged sinister grins and started to approach Ah Sha as she was laying on the ground with despair in her empty gaze.

Suddenly, a voice as cold as ice and laced with murderous intent pierced through the air.

“Take your filthy foot...”

“Huh?”

“...off her!”

The tall man shivered and instinctively stepped back, looking in the direction of the voice.

“Gu Han? Tsk tsk. You’re injured so badly, yet you’re still alive. You’re one lucky bastard!”

After realizing that it was Gu Han, the two men sighed in relief. He’s just a miserable cripple. Does he think he’s still the young master of the Gu family?

“Ah Sha.” Gu Han ignored the two and quickly approached her, his face filled with concern. “Are you okay?”

Thanks to the nourishment of the mysterious sword intent, his meridians had been rebuilt, and part of his cultivation was restored. Although he was far from his peak, he had regained the fourth or fifth stage of the Qi Condensation realm.

“Young Master...” Ah Sha raised her small bloodied hand. “I found the medicine. You won’t have to die.”

“Foolish girl!”

Gu Han’s heart ached as he saw her pitiful state. He carefully took the pill from her and put it away.

“My life isn’t as important as yours.”

He instantly recognized the pill’s low quality. It wouldn’t help his injuries at all. He could only imagine how hard Ah Sha had worked to find it.

“Zhang Fu, Li Liu!” His gaze filled with murderous intent turned toward the two men. “You dogs. Gu Yang must have sent you!”

He recognized them immediately as Gu Yang’s lackeys.

“How dare you!” Zhang Fu sneered. “The young lord’s name is not something you can—”

Before he could finish, a flash of sword light streaked through the air, followed by a searing pain.

“Ahhh!”

Zhang Fu staggered and fell with a shriek. He stared in horror at the leg that had been severed from his body.

Splash!

Another cold glint of the sword, and a fountain of blood burst from his neck. He let out gurgling sounds before his head slumped to the side, then he was lifeless.

Gu Han instinctively glanced at his long sword. This sword feels sharper and heavier than ever before. But now wasn’t the time to delve into it.

“Now.” He swung the long sword, its tip now pointing directly at Li Liu. “Your turn.”

“You... you...”

As Li Liu witnessed Gu Han’s ferocity, he lost all his previous arrogance. He trembled uncontrollably, with fear consuming him entirely.

“You were crippled, how is this possible...”

“You bullied Ah Sha. You deserve to die!”

“Gu Han... no, no! Young Master, please spare me...”

The sword flashed again and a head hit the ground.

Without sparing a glance at the corpses, Gu Han tore off a piece of his clothing and carefully bandaged Ah Sha’s injured hand.

It was only then that she realized what had happened “Young Master... You’re okay?”

Gu Han patted her small head gently and said softly, “Mm. I won’t die. Not yet.”

She threw herself into Gu Han’s arms. “That’s great! I’m so happy you won’t die!”

“That’s right!” Gu Han lifted her onto his back carefully. “I’m still alive. Give me some time, and it’ll be them who die!”

With the mysterious sword scripture in his hand and most of his injuries healed, Gu Han felt an unshakable confidence. With just a bit more time, his cultivation would improve significantly! When that day came, it would be the day of blood debts being repaid!

He cast a long look in the direction of the Gu family’s estate, then carried Ah Sha on his back and strode determinedly toward the outskirts of the city.

***

At the training ground in the Gu family’s estate.

“Gu Han!”

Gu Yang was seething with rage after seeing the two corpses being brought back. He had sent those two to humiliate Gu Han, yet instead of shaming him, they had lost their lives.

“I’ll see you dead!”

“Commander Gu.” He took a deep breath and turned to the man behind him. “What do you think?”

“It’s more than meets the eye!” Commander Gu glanced briefly at the bodies and made his judgment.

“Both of them were at the third stage of Qi Condensation. Yet from the wounds, it’s clear they were killed without a chance to fight back. With Gu Han severely injured and on the brink of death, there’s no way he could have such power!”

The golden seal! Gu Yang’s heart skipped a beat. He instinctively recalled the incident with Gu Tian. Could it be... That golden seal is now in Gu Han’s possession? A sudden unease overcame him.

“Go! Take your men and pursue him immediately. I want him dead!”

“But...” Commander Gu hesitated. “The grand elder said—”

“The situation has changed! I’ll speak to Grandfather myself. Gu Han is a disaster waiting to happen. One month from now is the Great Qi Martial Academy’s qualification battle. Until then, I don’t want anyone interfering. Do you understand?”

“Yes, sir! I’ll leave at once!”

“Gu Han!” Gu Yang’s expression twisted with malice. “I’ll see how you escape this time!”

***

Outside Tianwu City, Gu Han pressed forward without stopping. As for Ah Sha, she had long since fallen asleep on his back, too exhausted to stay awake.

The outskirts were less populated and bordered the Wild Forest, where demonic beasts occasionally roamed. Yet to Gu Han, the wilderness was far safer than the city.

No matter how ferocious demonic beasts were, they were nothing compared to the cruelty of humans! If he stayed in the city, and the Gu family discovered his recovered injuries, they would never let him live. This experience had sharpened his mind and matured his resolve.

“Hm?”

Suddenly, he sensed something and halted in his tracks. In the distance, a man and a woman walked side by side.

The woman was exceptionally beautiful, her demeanor elegant and refined. She laughed and conversed freely with the man beside her. The two of them resembled a pair of perfect lovers.

That woman was none other than Liu Ying!

Liu Ying saw him too, and their gazes met. Gu Han’s face remained emotionless, while Liu Ying’s delicate brow furrowed slightly, an expression of faint surprise crossing her face.